This is A Mess (Mega RANT Thread)

[stef]

That's harsh.

Yes, it is. Feelin' a bit grumpy today.

[eddie83]

Yes, it is. Feelin' a bit grumpy today.

Kind of hard not to be.

[brianod]

DD would have had to be perfect to make this team competitive. He should have gotten rid of Matusz, Hunter and Norris and signed capable replacements. I don't blame him so much as I blame the current budget and major league structure. Almost all free agents are overpriced. The only teams that can afford them of the mega market teams. Which means the only way a team with our budget can afford to compete is to build threw the farm. DD has been here three years, the only thing I would blame him for is the lack of ability for us to build threw our farm system. That is the single biggest failure of him imo.

[TheDirtyBird]

The offseason will say the most regardless of what we do now at the deadline. The fact is we have a rotation that lacks an ace, with this type of staff you can't be surprised that we aren't as good as last year. The last 3 seasons were built around a strong position core that is weakening. We don't have internal answers and DD needs to address it. He failed this year.

I think we all would love an Ace but I think the organization will continue to try the group effort for the foreseeable future. I can't see why you wouldn't want a legitimate stop gap guy who you can count on every week, not to mention it gives confidence to the rest of the squad

[Norfolk orioles]

How bud Norris is still on this team I have NO idea.

What does he have to do???

Giving up 2 runs in the first inning he comes in? Not covering 1st on a routine grounder?

Is there no bottom for him?

[eddie83]

I think we all would love an Ace but I think the organization will continue to try the group effort for the foreseeable future. I can't see why you wouldn't want a legitimate stop gap guy who you can count on every week, not to mention it gives confidence to the rest of the squad

I agree with you, we aren't signing a big arm. My point is with a staff like we have you have to be as well rounded as possible. We have had two horrible months of offense, we don't have the type of staff to overcome that. If everything clicks like last year that is a bonus but you can't expect that.

[Herman]

Wow. You really can't make this stuff up.

[DrungoHazewood]

Can't argue the results. Does not mean that your strategy would have been better short term or long term. What DD was thinking or whether there was a conspiracy is just irrelevant.

Results doesn't equate to a bad plan, or a poor front office. Otherwise the Red Sox were stupid, smart, stupid, stupid over the last four seasons. With largely the same folks behind the scenes.

Now, many here think Duquette and Co were stupid/lucky, just stupid, stupid/lucky, and just stupid over the same period.

[DrungoHazewood]

Yup.

That's exactly what happened. This was a contraversial POV a few months back but as usual time and common sense are making this version of events the reality of what occurred.

I remember all the nasty arguments about how anyone who felt this way was trolling or had an agenda. Now take a look at the standings.

Who's going to argue the results of the offseason NOW?

MSK

But you do have an agenda. Has nothing to do with the team's record. I'll still make the case that the Orioles' offseason was execution was quite similar to the Royals, just the Royals didn't have as many injuries and two of their better starters from last year didn't tank.

[MemorialStadKid]

But you do have an agenda. Has nothing to do with the team's record. I'll still make the case that the Orioles' offseason was execution was quite similar to the Royals, just the Royals didn't have as many injuries and two of their better starters from last year didn't tank.

Yes, my agenda is to support the Orioles even during dark times.

It's less frustrating when the FO does whatever it can to maintain a competitive team either through FA signings, smart trades and/or consistently developing talent via the farm system.

In this case, we had smart trades 4-6 years ago, and in the meantime, we've not developed a strong farm system (there's no reason why this couldn't have occurred under DDs watch) and we're on the verge of being pushed out of 2015 contention.

Am I wrong in suggesting that more could have been done?

MSK

[DrungoHazewood]

Yes, my agenda is to support the Orioles even during dark times.

It's less frustrating when the FO does whatever it can to maintain a competitive team either through FA signings, smart trades and/or consistently developing talent via the farm system.

In this case, we had smart trades 4-6 years ago, and in the meantime, we've not developed a strong farm system (there's no reason why this couldn't have occurred under DDs watch) and we're on the verge of being pushed out of 2015 contention.

Am I wrong in suggesting that more could have been done?

MSK

More could always be done, as you've dutifully pointed out every few days for the last 10 years.

[Stotle]

Now, many here think Duquette and Co were stupid/lucky, just stupid, stupid/lucky, and just stupid over the same period.

If there is one thing Duquette is not, it's stupid. He is in a tough spot with payroll; just opted to hold out hope that in-house players would make up for exiting players and some savvy signings would help fill the gaps. It isn't a bad approach for the team he has.

That said, he has been steering the ship for some time, and I do think he and the rest of the front office have to own the team they gave themselves at the end of 2015. The decision making resulted in three solid seasons and a couple of playoff births (including a great run last year), but as noted by myself and others over the past two off-seasons, there was decidedly little attention being paid to long term planning and restructuring of the team to account for rising salaries. It's not an easy balance, but that's why GMs/PoBBOs get paid the big bucks.

[Stotle]

But you do have an agenda. Has nothing to do with the team's record. I'll still make the case that the Orioles' offseason was execution was quite similar to the Royals, just the Royals didn't have as many injuries and two of their better starters from last year didn't tank.

I don't know -- Yordano Ventura has underperformed his 2014 by a pretty drastic margin. Guthrie to a lesser extent, but still bad. KC's decision-making seems to be a little better with respect to THIS offseason, and their young/upside core on the positional side continues to perform (and in Moustakas's case, breakout). It's probably just a slightly better team overall that is having a much better year, production wise.

[eddie83]

If there is one thing Duquette is not, it's stupid. He is in a tough spot with payroll; just opted to hold out hope that in-house players would make up for exiting players and some savvy signings would help fill the gaps. It isn't a bad approach for the team he has.

That said, he has been steering the ship for some time, and I do think he and the rest of the front office have to own the team they gave themselves at the end of 2015. The decision making resulted in three solid seasons and a couple of playoff births (including a great run last year), but as noted by myself and others over the past two off-seasons, there was decidedly little attention being paid to long term planning and restructuring of the team to account for rising salaries. It's not an easy balance, but that's why GMs/PoBBOs get paid the big bucks.

I just don't see any other option this offseason than taking some risks on FA hitters. The pitching staff should be cheap overall with bunch of money of the books. The pen outside of Britton will be dirt cheap. They need to find another starter. They can't afford a FA at every spot on the diamond but they have nothing in the system to bridge the gap. I have thought all along I would think like most that they would try to fill the pitching staff in house with some DD specials along the way. The position core needs help. The biggest difference for NYY this year is Arod, Tex and McCann. Ellsbury and Gardner had good years last year, the bottom of their order still isn't much. We need to build around Manny, Jones, Schoop and to a lesser extent Hardy. Too many redundant hitters on this team. I like Zobrist myself. Need to mix some different types of hitters on this team. I would bring Pearce back in a platoon role.

[oriolediehard]

I wish we took the Blue Jay prospect for DD.

DD finds players in from the scrap heap.